Control apparatus



'Sept."21, "-1937. w. J. PQDBIELNIAK 2,093,644

. con'mdpnPAnATUs.

rim July 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Sept. 21, 1 937. f y w. J. PODBIELNIAK 2,093,644 CONTROL APPARATUS' I iled July 21. 1934 Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ila . lillllllllll\\\\\\\\\ '5 prior application Serial Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED, STATES CONTROL APPARATUS Walter J. Podbielniak, Chicago, .111.

Application July 21,

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in control apparatus suitable for various purposes, for example, in fractional distillation. This application is a continuation in part of my No. 572,146, filed October 30, 1931, Patent No. 1,967,258, July 24, 1934.

The present invention will be fully understood from the following specification, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a general view, partly in elevation and partly in section, and largely diagrammatic without reference to scale, of a layout of apparatus suitable for carrying the invention into effect;

Fig. 2 is a detail view, mechanism provided for or other suitable operating mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a part of the control mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the numeral 3| indicates the conduit to which a selected gas or vapor supplied to the system to which the control apparatus of the present invention may be supplied. The selected gas may be derived from-a fractional distillation apparatus, for example, an apparatus of the analytical type as'described in my prior applications Serial No. 351,726, flled'April 1,1929, Patent No. 2,009,814, July 30, 1935 and Serial No. 475,585, filed August 30 15, 1930, Patent No. 1,917,272, July 11, 1933 and my application Serial No. 572,146, Patent No. 1,967,258, hereinbefore referred to. As is readily apparent, the gas or fluid reaching the conduit 3| may'be derived from any other suitable source.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the line 3| extends to the control valve 33, the construction and operation of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth. From the control valve 33, vapors-from the distillation column are 40 conducted through the line 31 to the receiving bottle or container 38, in which, as described in the prior applications hereinbefore referred to,

a reduced pressure is maintained and a temperature such that the contents thereof are kept in 45 vapor form. The receiving container 38 is of fixed volume and the increase in pressure therein resulting from the receipt therein or vapors evolved from the distillation column is indicated by providing from the line 31 a connection 39 50 leading to a manometer 40, by which the pressure in the receivmg container 33 is indicated and a further control of thexoperation secured, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

A desired initial pressure, either above or below 55 atmospheric may be secured in the line 31 and partly in section of the the control of a valve I 1934, SerialNo. 736,328

container 38 through valved connected to a compressor desired.

The numeral 66 represents a recording pyrometer, suitably of the potentiometer type, operated through connectors 55 and 65a from a thermocouple or other suitable means, provided in any desired portion of the system subject to control, for example, in some part of the distillation apparatus in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, and more fully set forth in my prior application Serial No. 572,146 hereinbefore referred to. The recording arm. of the pyrometer is indicated by the numeral 61. As such pyromet'ers are of a type well known in the art, the detailed mechanism thereof is not shown. As is usual in such pyrometers, the recording arm 61, by which a record is made upon a traveling paper sheet 68 is operated by a shaft 69 and is caused to move to the left or clockwise with rise in temperature.

In the operation of such recording pyrometers, it has hitherto been customary to cause the paper sheet 68 upon which the record is made to be moved by clock-work so as to travel at a constant. rate of speed, so that the record made indicates not only the temperature of the device under operation, but also the time at which the record is made. In accordance with thepresentinvention, however, I provide means whereby the feed of the paper sheet 68 may be controlled in accordance'with other factors, such as the quantity of the vapor passing over, through the pressure rise in the fixed-volume container '38, in which the vapor fractions from a distillation are received and maintained in vapor phase. As a result, a record may be made upon the sheet 68, showing the temperature of evolution of the successive vapor fractions in relation to their amount, providing at once an analytical distillation curve of the material under treatment. Means suitable for this purpose are shown on the drawing in Fig. 1 and details thereof in Figs.- 2 and 3.

As hereinbefore set forth, a pressure sensitive device or manometer 40 is provided in direct communication with the vapor line 31 leading to the receiver 38. This may suitably be a U-tube manometer, having a closed leg 40a. communicating with the evacuated receiver and an open leg #05, and containing a column of mercury or other suitable conductive liquid which is connected through a conductor 10 with one pole of a suitable source of electricity.

\ As successive increments of vapor pass from the distillation column into the receiver 38, they causea corresponding increase in pressure thereline 4 l which may be or vacuum pump, as

in, the contents of the receiver being maintained at a substantially constant temperature and in vapor phase. These increments of pressure are made to cause a corresponding feed of the paper record sheet 88 of the pyrometer 68, for example, in the following manner.

The paper feed roll of the pyrometer is mounted upon a drive shaft 14 which is driven through ter 48, there is provided an elongated metallic contact rod 8|, the end of which is, in its normal position, but a very slight distance above the increase in pressure is communicated through the line 39 to the manometer 40. The mercury is thereby caused to rise in the leg 40b of the manometer and contact with the rod 8|, whereupon a circuit is closed through the mercury, the contact rod 8I, the connector 82, the motor the opposite pole of her II In conducting operations such as distillations, it is sometimes desirable that the rate of disbe inversely proportional to the slope or tangent of the fractional distillation curve. In the drawings, means are shown whereby such control can be secured;

In the operation in accordance with the present invention, the rate of flow through line 3| is controlled by the valve 28 between the vapor line 3| leading from .the top of the column and the line 21 leading to the lower pressure receiver 38. As shown more seats the needle valve 9 I mounted on a reciprocable valve stem 92 which projects through the back of the casing and is operated by the lever 93. To avoid leakage, a metallic bellows diaphragm 94 surrounds the valve stem 92 and is securely attached at one end to the back of the casing 88 and at the other to the valve stem.

Suitable means are provided for controlling the movement of the valve 9| as a function of the change in temperature at the selected point, such as the outlet of the distillation column, the quantity of vapor the end of rotatable pin 96 carrying a spring-pressed pawl The pawl 91 engages a ratchet wheel 98 rotatably mounted on an arbor 99 carried in a suitable bearing on the support I00. At a slight distance from the ratchet wheel 98 and in a parallel plane with respect thereto, there is provided a worm wheel I III mounted on an arbor I02 cowheel 98. On the outer sides of the ratchet wheel 98 and worm wheel IOI, the spring contacts I06 and I01 respectively are provided, for an electrical connection as hereinafter pointed out.

The worm wheel IOI meshes with and is driven by a worm I88 on a shaft I09 which is driven through suitable reduction gears II8 from motor III. The shaft I89 extends through a sleeve cap I I2 provided with a constricted portion H3, and

extends through the cylindrical casing IIl'of the actuating or tangent-control member, generally designated by the numeral H5. The cylinder Ill, which is threaded at one end into the sleeve shaft I89 and bearing IIS,

The shaft extension II8 of the cylindrical casing I of the actuating mechanism I I I is provided at its outer end with a pulley I 23 which is driven from a pulley I24 mounted on a shaft I24a forming a part of the shaft of motor 11.

On rise intemperature at the control point, the recorder arm 81 of the pyrometer 68 is moved clockwise. This movement is imparted through the shaft 69 to the arm 95 carrying the pawl 91, which is spring-pressed against the ratchet wheel 98. As a'result, on rise in temperature in the column, the ratchet wheel 98 is caused to move, and the contact arm IN is thereby brought into contact with the contact arm I05 on the worm wheel IOI. When this takes place a circuit is closed. from one pole of a source of current through connector I25, arm I06, ratchet wheel 98, contact arms I04 and I05, worm wheel IOI, contact I01, connector I26, motor III and connector I21 to the opposite pole of the current source. The motor III is thereby energized and rotates the shaft I09. The rotation of the shaft I09 is communicated through the threaded coll lar I2I to the cylindrical casing II4 of the actuating mechanism II5, thereby causing axial movement of the latter which in turn is communicated to the forked end I28 of lever 93 (which embraces the constricted portion II3 of the sleeve cap H2), thereby tending to move the needle valve 9I'toward its seat and reduce or close the opening between the vapor line 3I and the line 31 leading to the receiver 38. At the same time, the movement of the shaft I09, acting through the worm I08, rotates the worm wheel IOI, thereby separating the contacts I05 and I04 and breaking the hereinbefore described circuit to the motor I I I. In the event of further rise in temperature, the operation is repeated.

The. means shown in the drawings are designed so that a drop in temperature will have no effect.

The actuating cylinder H5 is likewise affected by the increase in pressure in the vapor receiver 30. As hereinbefore set forth, such increase in pressure, results in a corresponding energizing of the motor 11, from which the paper feed mechanism for the recorder 66 is driven. From the motor shaft extension I24a of the motor I1, drive pulley I24 causescorresponding movement of a pulley I23 on the shaft extension H8 of the actuating cylinder II5, causing it to rotate in such manner that if, at the time, the threaded collar I2I within the actuating cylinder is stationary, the axial movement of the actuating cylinder tends to open the valve and increase the rate of distillation. As hereinbefore described in connection with the recording mechanism, this same operation of motor 11 causes movement of contact rod 8 I, which breaks the current controlling motor On further rise in pressure in re-' ceiver 38, the operation is repeated.

Itwill be clear from the above description of the operation of the actuating cylinder II5 or the operating lever 93 of the control valve 33 that it is individually responsive to the changes in pressure and of temperature at the control point, and mechanically compounds the effects due to both of these causes. As a result of proper selection of gear ratios, screw pitches and the like, the relative effect of each of these elements controlling the cylinder H5 and its movement may be modified, although, it is preferred in the case of control of a distillation process that its response he so controlled as to correspond substantially and sensitively to changes in the tangent or slope of the distillation curve.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the details of specific method and apparatus embodying the same, it is not intended that these .details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as included in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

- 1. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor responsive to temperature and pressure changes, said operating means comprising interconnected rotatable members, and means for rotating one of said members in response to pressure changes and means for rotating the other of said members in response to temperature changes.

2. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor, said operating means comprising an axially-movable rotatable cylindrical casing member, a rotatable member entering said casing and internally engaged therewith, and means for rotating one of said members'including a pressure-responsive device, and means for rotating the other of said member, including a temperature-responsive device.

3. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor, said operating means including an axially-movable, rotatable cylindrical casing, said casing having an internal screw-threaded portion, means for rotating said casing, a rotatable shaft entering said casing and bearing a threaded member engaging the internally threaded portion of said casing, and means for roating said shaft.

4. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor, said operating means including an axially-movable, rotatable cylindrical casing, said casing having an internal screw-threaded portion, means for rotating said casing, a rotatable shaft entering said casing and bearing a threaded member engaging the internally threaded portion of said casing, and means for rotating said shaft, and means operable on rotation of said casing to render said casing-rotating means inoperative.

5. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor, said operating means including an axially-movable, rotatable cylindrical casing, said casing having an internal screw-threaded portion, means for rotating said casing, a rotatable shaft entering said casing and bear-ing a' threaded member engaging the internally threaded portion of said casing, and means for rotating said shaft, and means operable on rotation of said shaft to render said shaft-rotating means inoperative.

6. In combination, distillation control means and operating means therefor, said operating means comprising a control lever, an axiallymovable, rotatable cylindrical casing engagingsaid lever, said casing having an internally-' threaded portion, a rotatable shaft entering said casing, a threaded member mounted on said shaft and engaging the internally-threaded portion of said casing, said threaded member being longitudinally fixed with respect to said casing, and independently controlled means for rotating the casing and the threaded member, whereby a resultant movement is imparted to said casing and to said lever.

'7. In combination, distillation control means operable in response to the temmrature of vapors issuing from a distillation column and operating means therefor,'means for actuating said control means, said actuating means comprising a rotatable member, a shaft carrying said rotatable member, motor means for driving said shaft,

a normally open electrical control circuit for said motor, a rotatable disk, a contact for said circuit carried by said disk, a second rotatable disk spaced from the first mentioned disk, at contact for said circuit carried by the second disk, temperature-responsive means for imparting movement to the first disk, thereby causing the contacts to engage to close said control circuit and energize the motor, thereby rotating said shaft and rotatable member, and means carried by said shaft to rotate the second disk and move the second contact member out of engagement with the first contact member, thereby opening said control circuit and de-energizing the motor.

8. In combination, distillation control means operable in response to the temperature of vapors issuing from a distillation column and operating means therefor, means for actuating said control means, said actuating means comprising a rotatable member, a shaft carrying said rotatable member, motor means for driving said shaft, a normally open electrical control circuit for said motor, a rotatable ratchet wheel, a contact for said electrical circuit carried thereby, a member actuated in response to temperature changes, an arm carried thereby, a pawl on said arm engaging said ratchet wheel to impart movement thereto, a worm wheel spaced from said ratchet wheel and carrying a second contact for said electric circuit, whereby on movement of the ratchet wheel, the contact thereon engages said second contact to close said control circuit and energize the motor, thereby rotating said shaft and rotatable member, and a worm gear carried on rotation of the shaft, said worm wheel is moved to disengage said second contact and break said control circuit, thereby de-energizing said motor.

9. In combination, a controlled element and control means therefor, said means comprisingan axially-movable rotatable cylindrical casing, a rotatable member entering said casing and internally engaged therewith, and means for rotating the casing independently of said rotatable member, including a pressure-responsive device, and means for rotating the rotatable member independently of said casing, including a temperature-responsive device.

10. In combination, a controlled element and control means therefor, said means comprising an axially-movable, rotatable cylindrical casing, said casing having an internal screw-threaded portion, means for rotating said casing, a rotatable shaft entering said casing and bearing a threaded member engaging the internally threaded portion of said casing, means for rotating said shaft, and means operable on rotation of said casing to render said casing-rotating means inoperative, said casing being rotated independently of said shaft and said shaft being rotated independently of said casing.'

11. In combination, a controlled element and control means therefor, said means comprising an axially-movable, rotatable cylindrical casing, said casing having an internal screw-threaded portion, means for rotating said casing, a rotatable shaft entering said casing and bearing a threaded member engaging the internally threaded portion of said casing, and means for rotating said shaft, and means operable on rotation of said shaft to render said shaft-rotating means inoperative, said casing being rotated independently of said shaft and said shaft beingrotated independently of said casing. V

12. In combination, a controlled element and control means therefor, said means comprising a rotatable member, a shaft carrying said rotatable member, motor means for driving said shaft, a normally open electrical control circuit for said motor, a rotatable disk, a contact for said circuit carried by said disk, a second rotatable disk spaced from the first mentioned disk, a contact for said circuit carried by the second disk, temperature-responsive means for imparting movement to the first disk, thereby causing the contacts to engage to close said control circuit and energize the motor, thereby rotating said shaft and rotatable member, and means carried by said shaft to rotate the second disk and move the second contact member out of engagement with the first contact m'ember, thereby opening said control circuit and de-energizing the motor.

13. In combination, a controlled element and control means therefor, said means comprising a rotatable member, a shaft carrying said rotatable member, motor means for driving said shaft, a normally open electrical control circuit for said motor, a rotatable ratchet wheel, a contact for said electrical circuit carried thereby, a member actuated in response to temperature changes, an arm carried thereby, a pawl on said arm engaging said ratchet wheel to impart movement thereto, a worm wheel spaced from said ratchet wheel and carrying a second contact for said electric circuit, whereby on movement of the ratchet wheel, the contact thereon engages said second contact to close said control circuit and energize the motor, thereby rotating said shaft and rotatable member, and a worm gear carried on said shaft and engaging said worm wheel whereby, on

rotation of the shaft, said worm wheel is moved to disengage said second contact and break said control circuit, thereby de-energizing said motor.

WALTER J. PODBIELNIAK. 

